As it looks like I’m going to be staying in The Cottage for the foreseeable future (any spare money I have is likely to have to go into Wizard’s Tower for a year or so, I suspect) I need to make it a little more comfortable. Top of the priority list has to be getting rid of the piles of books on the floor. I have identified a few areas of wall where a small bookcase could be installed without affecting the effective living space. All I needed to do was buy some.
I was reasonably happy with the bookcases that Kevin and I got from IKEA a few years back. They still make them. But in California we had the advantage of a large minivan to transport things in. Here I have no transport, and I remember from the adventure of the bed that IKEA delivery charges are extortionate. So I decided to try Tesco. Their bookcase was cheaper, if a little smaller, and they only wanted £5 for delivery.
I have been very impressed with their delivery service. The online order form had a space for special instructions, and yesterday someone called me to check on the details. They also texted me, giving a three-hour window for the delivery. The men didn’t phone in advance as was promised, but they did turn up on time.
Having assembled both IKEA and Tesco bookcases, I am convinced that the IKEA furniture is better made, and I’d buy it for preference if I could. However, the Tesco bookcase is sufficiently robust to be fit for purpose, and might even be solid enough to take with me when I go.
Said bookcase is now assembled and in place. There are no more piles of books on the floor. There are also no empty shelves on the bookcase. That gives me a rough idea of how long I can stay here before the books force me to find somewhere bigger. Oh dear. I think I need to buy more ebooks.
New bookcases are always good, and make it more home like, don’t you think?
They certainly do. I shall get some more in due course.
Even if I could afford bookcases, where do I move the books to to get the bookcase in…. Glad you had a good experience with the buying!
That’s true devotion to book collecting. I am impressed.
The other people to try who always surprised me are Argos, their web and delivery service used to be excellent and the stuff isn’t entirely crap 🙂
I looked, but they didn’t have an equivalent product.
hen we were buying Ikea furniture without a car, we found the cheapest way was to get a taxi. In Germany, they have large ones you can order up. Not the ones that hung about outside Ikea and wanted a mint, but ordinary taxies. We brought our flatpacks back for only 5 euros more than a regular cab ride, a huge amount less than Ikea delivery charges which are based on amount paid!
That’s very clever. Unfortunately it only works if you live relatively close to the IKEA. My nearest one is in Bristol, and even an ordinary cab fare would be a lot more than the cost of the bookcase.